Amusement apparatus



Sept. 16, 1.930. H. RocHwARG AIUSEIENT APPARATUS 2` Shoots-Shut 2 Filed June 22, 1929 vut- 4.

f//w Ram/MM INVENTOR wlTNEss',

Arronnzv Patented Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED STATES HARRY aocnwane, or BRONX, New YORK Anusniunirr nPrARATUs Application iled June 22,

vrIhis invention relates to improvements in amusement apparatus.

- The primary object of the invention resides inan amusement apparatus for use in amusement parks and like places in which a number of contestants may try their skill in the operation of the saine. The apparatus consists of a number of buoyant bodies, such as toy balloons arranged within transparent com- Y operation of the apparatus 'for a predetermined period of time, therefore the contestant succeeding in blowing the most number of buoyant bodies through the outlet in a given time may be termed the winner.

Another object of the invention is tolprovide acollector 'chute-for the discharged buoy ant bodies blown from the compartment, and

for releasing the same to return to thecompartment after cach actuation of the apparatus.

A further object is the provision of an amusement apparatus of the above kind in which a motor driven blower is provided for Vproducing an air stream througli the manually controlled hose, and adJusting means for regula-ting the inlet of atmospheric air to the blower to control the air pressure discharged through said hose.`

A still further object of the invention is tov Y provide an amusement apparatus which requires skill on the part of an operator in the operation thereof, which is amusing and eX citing to the spectators .as well as the contestants, and in which each operation requires but a brief period of time.

Vith these and other objects'inxview, the invention resides in certain novel construction and 4combination and` arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in

i929. serial No. 373,012.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of my amusement apparatus. r

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

. Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on V5,5 the tine 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure l is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4 4; of Figure 2. Figure is a detail vertical transverse sectional view on the line 5`5 of Figure y1. v f -60 Figure 6 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the top end of the apparatus. A

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the front upper end of vthe appara-tus. `65 y Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View of the time control mechanism.

Referring to the drawings by reference :70 characters, the numeral 10 designates my improved amusement apparatus in its entirety which includes a box-like base 11 supported upon legs 12 while closing the openrear side of the base is a removable panel or back wall f7.5 13. Supported upon the boxlike base 11 and rising therefrom is a body or 4casing 1li having front and side transparent walls 15 which may be of glass orother .like material. The casing 14 is provided. with a foraminated ,:80

`screen bottom 1 6 while the top wall 17 is pro-v vided with a restricted opening 18 which is of va size lart-,irerin diameter than the buoyant bodies 19 contained within the casing 14 and which buoyantfbodies are in the nature of 85 tov balloons. Spacedfrom the top 17 of the body 14 above the same is a roof 19', the space between the roof 19 and the top 17 constituting an outlet passage20 which communicates at the rear with an inclined chute 21, the 90 i said chute extending downward alongone of the side walls ofthe casing and terminating in a vertical leg 22 in 'which the discharge balloons collect Vas will be more fully/eX- plained. The lower endaof the'chute com- C95 municates with the interior ofthe casing through an ope-ning 23 in its side wall and which opening is Inormally `closed by apivoted disk or door 24. An actuating rod 25 at one end is pivotally connected to the disk and 25100 within the 4funnel while a rotatable rod 30 is slidably mounted in the outer spider and has its free end threaded as at 31 for threaded engagement with the inner spider. Fixed to the 'rod 30 is a valve disk 32 which disk coacts with the interior walls of the rfunnelto regulate the inlet oit-air to the rotary blower. It will be appreciated that by grasoing the knob 33 provided on the out-er `end oi the rod and imparting turning"movement to the rod, the disk 32 may be moved longitudinally to either` increase or decrease the amount ot air to the inlet of the blower. The rotary blower is operated by an electric motor 34.

Connected to the outlet 35 or" the blower is one Yend of a tlexible'nos'e or tube 36 which is vertically disposed so that the free end oi the same terminates directly beneath the screen bottom 16 of the casing 14. The :tree

. outletend of the hose is beneath the center oic the screen as shown in Figure 2. A kink will appear therein which facilitates movement of the hose over the area of the foraminated bottom.' For the purpose of manually actuating or controlling the movement of the hose, I provide an actuating lever 37t-he inner end of which is pivotally connected to a ring or band .33.encirclingthe hose 36. rIhe lever 37 is slidably mounted withinl a bearing 39, the said bearingbeing turnably mounted on a bar 40 extending between the side walls of the base. The outer end'ot the lever 377e);-

tends through a horizontal slot 41 in the front wall of the base and terminates in'ai manipu-v lating handle 42. It will be appreciated that by sliding the lever back and Ylorth and turning the same, the outlet end olz the hose may be moved or guided beneaththe foraminate'd screen 16 whereby an operator'may skillfully actu-ate the lever to cause'the stream or air 'from the hose to act upon the Vballoons with the object of causing the same to be blown upward through 'the restricted opening 18 irrespective o" -where the balloons' mayrest upon the screen body 15. Mounted upon the top 17V forward of the opening 18 is an elec trie motor driven 'an 43, the:V blades 4401i which Jface toward the rear and during ope-rationlof thejlan, the current of air produced thereby is adapted to'act upon any discharged balloon blown through the opening 18 to cause the balloon toenter the outlet passage 2O and cause the same to enterpthe inclined "chute 21. 'For permitting the escape of air produced by the 'aii 44 and the blower 2 6, I provide air ,outlet openings in the rear wall of the chute.

For the purpose of controlling the operation of the blower 26 and Athe fan 43, I provide an automatic time mechanism whereby the motor 34 ot' the blower and the motor ot' the fan 43 will operate for a predetermined period ot time, it being the purpose to limit each operation of the apparatus to a given period. Provided at the front and adjacent the roof ci' the apparatus is a graduated dial 46 and mounted in the front wall 47 is a bear= ing 48 inwhich isl journalled a rotatable shaft l 4 9, the outer end yof which carries an indicating pointer 50 for traversing the dialW 46. The inner end of the shaft 49 carries a gear 31-, 'which constantly meshes with 'a smallei` gea-r 52 fixed to one end of a journalled shaft 53, the other end of said shaft carrying a beveled gear 54 for constant meshing with a beveled gear 55 operatively connected to the armature shaft ot the inotor'driven tan It will'be understood that during operation of the fan 43, power is transmitted at ailatively low speed to the shaft 49 to cause the Vindicating pointer 50 to travel konce around the dial. For automatically controlling the operation of the motor 56 of the fan 43 and the motor 34 of the blower, I mount 'a contact or brush 57 on the inner face of the gear l'and which brush during rotation of the ear rides over a split contact ring 5 8 tiXedly mountedto the front wall 47. In Figure 9 of the drawing, I have shown a diagrammatic view of theelectric circuit, which in c-ludes wiring 5 9, 6l and in which the motors 34 and 56, a sourceof electrical supply, and a switch or push button 60 are/arranged. 'Vith the 'circuit `closed` 'at 60?, 'on movement or" the brush 57 into Contact with one end ot the ring 5S, simultaneous with movement 'of the pointer 50 in 'the direction of the irst graduation of the dial 46,' th'e gear 51, carrying the said brush` will move to 'complete a singlev -operation'of thedevice, during which time the brush will travel aroundth'e ring 58 and back to the space between the -ends of th'e said ring, thereby automatically vbreakingthe circuit. Vvlhile the brush is positioned opposite the space between, the ends of thel ring 58, the pointer 50 indicates Zero 'on the dial, or the completion of an operation. The switch 60 is openable at the co'mpletionof each revolution ofthe gear 51 and its contact brush.` The Vtime that it takes for the indicating pointer 50 to traverse the dial may be of a predetermined period of time such one minute,dmh1g which time an operator actuates the leverY 37 to guide the air hose with the Aobject of `discharging-from the casing 14 Vas many buoyant bodies or b'alloons'as'hefean. In competitiomthe-person or operatoriallecting the dischargeof theA Agreatest 'niinbifgof balloons may be termed the Wippe?" It will l'oo be appreciated that a certain amount of skill is required on the part of the operator' in guiding the air hose to blow the balloons through the restricted outlet opening 1S. By providing transparent front and side walls in the casing la, the operator as well as any spectators mayhave an unobstructed view of the interior of the casing or enclosure 14. As shown in the drawing, the chute 2l extending along the side of the casing may also be enclosed by glass to reveal the number of balloons discharged.

While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the exact details of construction hereinset forth nor to anything less than the whole of my invention limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is r- 1. An amusement apparatus including an enclosure having a foraminated bottom and a restricted opening` in the top thereof, a plurality of buoyant bodies within said enclosure, a flexible air hose beneath said foraininated bottom, and manually operated means operatively connected to said air hose for guiding the same over the area of said foraminated bottom to blow said buoyant bodies upward with the object of causing them to pass through said restricted outlet, a collector chute communicatinor with said restricted opening for receiving iie discharged buoyant bodies and extending downward along one of the sides of said enclosure and communicating at its lower end with the interior of said enclosure through an opening therein, and a manually operable door for closing said opening.

2. An amusement apparatus including an enclosure having a foraminated bottom and a restricted opening in the top thereof, a plurality of buoyant bodies within said enclosure, a flexible air hose beneath said foraminated bottom and manually operated means operatively connected to said air hose for guiding the same over the area of said foraminated bottom to blow said buoyant bodies upward with the object of causing them to pass through said restricted outlet, a collector' chute communicating with said restricted opening for receiving the discharged buoyant bodies and extending downward along one of the sides of said enclosure and communicating at its lower end with the interior of said enclosure through an opening therein, and a manually operable door for closing said opening, and a fan mounted above said restricted opening for blowing the buoyant objects into said chute.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a hollow base, a hollow body having transparent side walls rising from said base, a foraminated bottom in said body, the top wall of said body having a restricted outlet therein, a plurality of buoyant bodies within said hollow body, an electrically operated blower within said base, a vertically extending flexible hose connected to the outlet end of said blower, an actuating lever having one end connected to said hose and its other end extending outward through a slot in said base, and means for mounting said lever for horizontal swinging movements and for longitudinal sliding movement to enable an operator to move said flexible hose over the area of said foraminated bottom to direct the air from said hose against said buoyant bodies to cause the same to be blown upward through said restricted outlet.

e. In an amusement apparatus of the class described, an enclosed casing having a restricted opening therein, a plurality of buoyant bodies contained within said casing, a motor driven blower, a manipulatable hose connected to the outlet of said blower for blowing said buoyant bodies through said restricted opening, means for trapping the discharged buoyant bodies, said motor driven blower arranged in an electric` circuit with a manually operable switch to initially close said circuit to start said motor driven blower in operation, and automatic means for main- 9 taining said circuit in a closed condition for a predetermined period of time.

In testimony whereof I hereby aliix my Signature.

HARRY ROCHWARG. 

